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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · saw · suit · pass · shower · stand · perch · rule

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. shower — rain
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rule — a law
  12. perch — the fish
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — a permit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rule — government
  20. stand — to bear
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. shower — to wash
  23. suit — clothes
  24. shower — a meteor shower

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com